A nurse took her own life after failing to revive her partner, an inquest heard yesterday.

The bodies of hospital workers Roy McQuillan, 50 and Ann Luca Del Giudici, 59, were discovered in mysterious circumstances at their home after they were reported missing.

Police entered their two-bedroomed bungalow in Bishops Cleeve, Gloucestershire, on March 26 last year and found their bodies in separate rooms, Gloucester Coroner's Court heard.

The father-of-five, a porter at Cheltenham General Hospital, was found laid on a bed with a duvet pulled up to his chin, while Ms Luca Del Giudici, who also worked at the hospital, was found lying on her stomach in the bath.

No one had heard from the couple since March 20 when Ms Luca Del Giudici phoned her work to say she would not be coming in that night.

Mr McQuillan, who had type two diabetes and had previously attempted suicide, had taken an insulin overdose in a possible cry for help, the court heard.

Ms Luca Del Giudici, an auxiliary nurse, attempted to treat her partner of three years but after realising she had failed, took a number of trimethoprim, knowing she would suffer an adverse reaction to the tablets.

After discovering the couple's bodies police found a torn up note in a bin that read: "To Sweetpea, I can't live with this anymore. All I have is yours to do with what you see fit. Bye Bye."

The coroner was told Mr McQuillan was suffering from ill health and had told friends he felt his body was "shutting down". The couple, who became engaged a year earlier, had a volatile relationship, the court heard.

Police found Ms Luca Del Giudici had arrived home and immediately logged onto the computer and searched for the terms "insulin overdose" and "treating insulin overdose".

A bowl of sugar solution with a spoon in it was found next to the bed where Mr McQuillan was found along with a number of pieces of blood testing equipment.

The court was told she had been trying to use the solution to reverse the low blood sugar level from which Mr McQuillan was suffering.

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Cooper, of Gloucestershire Police, told the court that having been unsuccessful in saving her partner, it seemed Ms Luca Del Giudici then turned to find a way of taking her own life.

"Given the content of the note he left, she may have been feeling guilty herself for the situation and deliberately taken some of his tablets," Acting Coroner David Dooley added.

As a nurse Ms Luca Del Giudici was well aware of the affect the tablet would have had, the court heard.

Mr Dooley recorded an open verdict in the case of Mr McQuillan but said given Ms Luca Del Giudici was in full knowledge of the adverse effect trimethoprim would have on her, he did not think she could have taken an accidental overdose and had meant to take her own life.